Beyond the Furthest Star in the Sky
by Bianka-chan
Summary: It's a dark tale of betrayal by friends and lovers. When Squall has his mind controlled, will he really kill Rinoa? The two will find their only recourse beyond the furthest star in the sky. Squinoa *COMPLETE*
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: FF8 is in no way owned by me.   
  
  
  
Words that have * around it are either in thought when they're separate, or emphasized words when inside a sentence. Easy, ne?  
  
  
  
I'll probably be switching POV's ( Point of Views) throughout the fan fiction. The separation will be shown by a long ________.   
  
  
  
If there are any confusing parts, please tell me and I'll do my best to change them to your needs. Reviews are greatly appreciated, as I am an aspiring writer that needs your advice and/or praise. Flames are also welcome. Hell, everyone needs to know if they're messing up or not. Now, on with the story ^_^!   
  
  
  
  
  
Beyond the Furthest Star in the Sky  
  
  
  
Squall Leonhart's auburn hair ruffled in the unruly wind. He inched forward, squinting his eyes and shielding his face from the biting of the wind. Before him stood a party of people, all of which had the same intent of taking away what had changed his life to something better. The wind seemed to attack him harder now, causing him to look southward.   
  
  
  
Rinoa was standing in front of him, smiling that smile that had transformed him. Squall furrowed his eyebrows and frowned slightly. She reached out for his hand and held it tightly. His frown deepened then, because he knew that this would be the last time he could feel her silky skin against his own.  
  
  
  
" I'm sorry that it has to be this way, Squall. But… there is no other option. This is for everyone else--"  
  
  
  
" I don't care about everyone else! I just…" Squall's voice grew hoarse, " I just wanna stay with you, damnit!"  
  
  
  
Rinoa bit her bottom lip and looked at the ground. The guards at her sides grasped her arms and pulled her back forcefully.  
  
  
  
" Sorceress Rinoa is a threat to our world." The guards explained while tugging her backward, " We'll be jetting her off to a far away place, where she can never hurt anyone."  
  
  
  
Squall was furious now. He thrust his right hand to the side, then his left hand, and finally put both of his hands in front of him in his classic, infuriated style.   
  
  
  
" She's never hurt anyone! You don't even know her, you money-sick bastards!"  
  
  
  
Squall angrily stomped forward in an attempt to attack the guards. With lightning fast impulses, the private soldiers whisked out their guns and shot at the Commander with dead aim. The tranquilizers remained poking out of his skin, exclaiming his own inability to evade them as he had been fighting for Rinoa.  
  
  
  
His eyesight became hazy and his surroundings blurred into misshapen objects. The only thing that remained the same was Rinoa, who then smiled brightly and spoke to Squall with her angelic voice that he would never again get to hear.   
  
  
  
" I'll see you again. Meet me beyond the furthest star in the sky. Promise…."   
  
  
  
The rest of her words were drowned away by the sudden jerk of pain that sent Squall crashing to the ground.  
  
  
  
A/N: That's the end of the very short Prologue! I hope that you liked it! As explained at the beginning, any kind of reviews are welcome. Thanks a lot for reading. Sayonara! 


	2. Reminisce

Disclaimer: FF8 is in no way owned by me.  
  
  
Thank you so much your your reviews! However happy I am for receiving them, I do have a few comments to make to the Anonymous "LOL" person. ( That person obviously remained anonymous because they're AFRAID, clue, dare to speak out with their real name, to flame in name.) They mentioned that while Squall was writhing in pain and agony, Rinoa smiled at him and spoke out with her angelic voice. Yes, that's true. And why? It's not like he was going to die or anything, and he wasn't in any real pain until he hit the floor. They were TRANQUILIZERS. No real bullets were put into him. They also mentioned that Rinoa wasn't upset when the guards were trying to take her away. When the guards from Esthar were trying to take her away, she wasn't upset then either. She was selfless and thought of the other people.That anonymous person should read better next time, and avoid flaming people if they're incorrect in what they're flaming. I put that here just to clear that up if anyone else had that same question.  
  
This Chapter is dedicated to Baby Rose, who inspired me to keep on writing. Thanks so much!   
  
As explained before, * means that a person's thinking when it's by itself, or an exaggerated word when it's in a sentence. Couldn't be easier. Also, a long ______ means the switching of POV's.  
  
  
Chapter 2: Reminisce  
  
SQUALL  
  
Squall's eyes bolted open and he rolled over lazily, tired of dreaming of that ill-fated day three years before. He didn't stay there long, though, as his eyes rolled over to the side to find a happy, yet dazed man leering at him. The lone wolf jumped automatically and sat up in his small, gray bed.   
" What the hell are you doing in here!?" Squall demanded, his eyes piercing.  
  
His intruder replied with a tip of his brown cowboy hat, " Nice to see you, too."   
  
Squall rolled his eyes, " What do you want, Irvine?"  
  
" Your little girlfriend's downstairs."  
  
" Rinoa's not here. Stop messing with me."  
  
" I meant Xu. She's been coming here like everyday."   
  
" She's my boss. It's not like I can tell her to stop coming."  
  
" Oh yeah, that's right. You lost your commander status after your depression. But anyway, when has that stopped you before? I mean, you're always so reticent."  
  
Squall stretched mildly and stared at the wall, " Besides, she's just Xu."  
  
A timid, petite figure revealed itself from the outside of the door. She stroked back her dark brown hair and sat down on a beaten-up chair.   
  
" So I'm just Xu? I've helped you get out of your depression since that Resistance Mem--"  
  
" Squall'll never get over that Sorcer--" Irvine began.  
  
" Rinoa! Her name's... Rinoa...." Squall said defensively.  
  
" So like... do you plan on being single forever?"   
  
" ...Whatever...."  
  
Xu stood up and paced around the room impatiently. " Are you guys done yet? What I came to tell you about involves the safety of Balamb Garden."  
  
" Alright, what is it?" Squall asked, growing tired of them invading his privacy.  
  
Taking a sudden stop, Xu took a moment to clench her fists at her side and think.  
  
*How am I supposed to tell him that it involves Rinoa? How will he take it?*  
  
  
_________________________________  
  
  
RINOA  
  
  
Rinoa bathed her bare feet in the clear, tranquil lake beneath her. Letting the wind play at her raven hair, she looked to the sky and smiled at the two moons high above her planet.   
  
" Squall...." She breathed.  
  
Grass crunched beside her as her best friend, Lelani, placed herself adjacent to her. Rinoa ignored her as she thought of her past life on the planet of love, fantasy, and... dark sorcery. It had been three years since she had last been to that world, and the time was beginning to catch up to her. Sniffling quietly, she turned to her friend as she listened to Lelani's soft, concerned voice.  
  
" You're going, aren't you? No matter how many times I tell you not to, you'll *still* go?"   
  
Rinoa jumped up happily and clasped her hands together. Lelani sighed and stood up slowly beside her. The Sorceress turned to her friend and smiled contentedly.  
  
" 'Tis the power of love!" Rinoa exclaimed, now spinning in circles.  
  
Lelani laughed good-naturedly. " Love? I've never been in love before, but if it makes you do something so risky... then it's gotta be pretty amazing."  
  
Rinoa stopped in mid-circle and hugged herself. The wind began blowing again, taking her hair westward. She smiled and put her hand on her friend's shoulder.  
  
" I'll find him."   
  
" First, we need to disguise you."  
  
" I'm not hiding from anyone. If they want to fight a Sorceress, then they can come at me!"   
  
Lelani raised her eyebrows and took on her royal tone. " I'm allowing you to leave. You should at least take my advice and go in incognito. Otherwise, you'll be dead before you see him."  
  
Rinoa bowed dramatically. " Yes, Your Highness."  
  
Three days afterward, Rinoa Heartilly was born for the second time. Her hair was a layered dark brown with red highlights that halted at her chin, and her eyes were a breathtaking shade of green. She wore a short skirt with knee-high boots, both sharing the same color of black, and a red shirt that accented her figure and connected with the waist of her skirt. Over this, she wore a gothic black cape that flowed to her ankles. Rinoa surveyed herself in the mirror and whirled back around. Her boots clicked loudly as she began walking with a determined countenance toward the large contraption that would take her back to her old life... to Squall.  
  
  
__________________________________  
  
SQUALL  
  
" A... Sorceress is coming," Xu started, biting her lower lip before continuing. " Squall.... Rinoa's coming back."  
  
Squall's heart almost jumped out of his chest. He almost smiled, but he stopped himself.  
  
" But it's not the same, Squall. She's a Sorceress, after all. And she has lapses now.... Sometimes she loses control and becomes just the same as Ultimecia was. She'll never be the same. She'll only bring destruction to our world! And that's why... I've done the liberty of giving you permission to kill her in cold blood."  
  
" What!?" Squall and Irvine exclaimed in unison, staring at Xu as if she were insane.   
  
" Listen, it's hard for me, too! But it's gotta be done," Xu opened the bedroom door and proceeded to exit. " We've got to patrol now. Squall, you come with me."  
  
Squall's mind swirled with a mixture of anger and bewilderment. He stood up slowly and grasped his jacket from his chair. Putting it on, he headed out of the room with Xu. She walked in front of him silently and exited out of the house, leading the way to the town. Squall looked around with his emotionless eyes.  
  
" Where did you get your information, Xu?"  
  
" Some girl from the planet that Rinoa was sent to. A Princess I think."  
  
" So, I'll have to... kill her." Squall announced as he absorbed his surroundings.  
  
" That's the Master Plan."  
  
__________________________________  
  
RINOA  
  
Rinoa descended out of the tiny airship that she had stayed in for only a half an hour. She gingerly traveled out of the deserted area and into a place that she could never forget. The small town stood before her in all its blue buildings and vast ocean. She smiled and walked in, forgetting of all her troubles.  
  
  
_________________________________  
  
SQUALL  
  
Squall and Xu continued patrolling the area in search of any sign of Sorceress Rinoa. He had remained quiet for the time and was thinking angrily about what he was to do.  
  
*How the hell do they expect me to kill her!? I was in love with her, damnit! Couldn't they just... leave me out of it...? Rinoa....*  
  
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted when he bumped into a raven haired woman about four inches shorter than he was. He looked down to see her face and froze. Just as he was about to speak, Xu began talking.  
  
" Hello, have you by any chance seen a woman named Rinoa? She's very dangerous." She motioned her hand toward Squall beside her. " This's the guy that plans to kill her, so you have no need to worry."   
  
__________________________________  
  
RINOA  
  
Rinoa locked her eyes on Squall and fumbled with her words that never seemed to escape her lips. Her face burned and her heart was beating at an alarmingly high rate. The Sorceress' knees began to shake as she fought the urge to just cry in the arms of her long lost love. With blurry eyes and a swaggering balance, Rinoa stepped forward an inch.  
  
*Kill... me. He wants to kil me....*  
  
" I..." She looked at Squall's almost pleading eyes. " I've never heard of her."  
  
Rinoa spun around and ran swiftly to find some sort of recourse. She soon after found herself on the floor crying and attempting to stand back up. Rain began to pour on her head as the people of the town hurried into their little houses. She laid there on the ground and closed her eyes. Behind her, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps. Rinoa ignored them as the drifted into sleep.  
  
" Your rings.... Are you... Rinoa?"   
  
  
  
  
A/N: Hey! I finally updated! Sorry for the wait. Please Review! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Ja ne! ~Bianka-chan. 


	3. The Strife of a Lone Wolf

Disclaimer: I own nothing in association with Final Fantasy VIII. All credit goes to Square and the magnificent workers under that company.   
I have 8 reviews! I'm so happy! You guys are great. You really have no idea how happy you made me with those inspiring reviews. This chapter is dedicated to all of you.   
Baby Rose-You reviewed me three times! Thanks! I also appreciate your advice.  
Ink-Your review was amazingly inspiring. I'm glad that you're so excited. You make me very happy=)  
Phoenix Blade- Hey... he might do it. Just keep reading!  
Pixy Stix Freak- You're excited, too? You're great.  
Usagi- You're too nice!^_^  
LOL- Hey err... you were my first flame. I suppose... I'll remember you always?  
  
By the way, I changed a few minor things at the end of my second chapter only a few days ago. Those things might confuse you as you read this chapter so you may want to reread the end of my last chapter: Reminisce.  
Note: There will be a lot of dialogue included in this chapter that was in the game. I added it in to create more drama and angst.   
  
Chapter 3: The Strife of a Lone Wolf  
SQUALL  
  
After five minutes of hopelessly waiting for Rinoa to wake up, Squall finally lifted her up into his strong arms and rushed her to the Hotel. Once inside, he sprinted up the stairs hastily. He didn't even bother to answer the threats issued by the angry Hotel owner. Squall carefully laid Rinoa down on the bed at the top floor after barging through the locked door with his own brute force. Looking up, he saw a heavenly face that sparked up the only happy moments that he remembered having.   
  
  
  
Squall sat on the edge of her bed and put his hands on top of hers. He frowned sadly and began to rub her hands with his.   
" You're so cold...." His voice drifted off as he realized the familiarity of his sentence.   
" I wanna hear your voice. I've missed it for three years.... I've known no happiness for three years."  
Squall began to rock back and forth.   
" I don't know what good it'll do for me to tell you, but... Angelo had puppies. I thought you would be happy to know."  
The lone wolf scoffed and looked to the side.  
" Why do I even bother talking to you? It's like talking to a...wall...."  
" I can't take you to some doctor this time. They'll try to kill you. Hell... I should be trying to kill you. But I just... can't. It's too impossible."  
" Maybe I'm just thinking too much. I should sleep...."  
With that, Squall laid his head down on the corner of the bed. He began to think again but the memory of Rinoa's sweet voice sent him into peaceful slumber.   
~The Next Morning~  
Daylight crept into the room like the shining of heaven onto a dark abysmal terrain. The glittering of the beautiful ocean added an even more celestial glow to the small room. Squall twitched involuntarily at the moment he woke up. His head jerked every which way around the room. Lastly, he placed his gaze on the stagnant Rinoa who had her eyes closed and her body facing him. Before he could even begin to enjoy the sight of her, a familiar feminine voice rang out from the small town.  
  
  
  
" Good morning, Balamb! I have arrived here to ask if any of you have seen Sorceress Rinoa! You will be handsomely rewarded for any valuable information that you may have!"  
*Does she ever give up?*  
  
  
  
A youth piped up from the crowd in an excited voice. " I saw a pretty raven haired lady at the Hotel! Could that be her?"  
  
  
  
" Raven haired woman, you say? I'll be on it right away!" Xu replied, rather loudly.   
*Damnit! I've gotta get her outta here!*  
Squall turned to Rinoa and shook her pale arms forcibly. The young Sorceress awakened with a start and stared at Squall with a shocked look on her face. The lone wolf shook his head and tightened his grip on Rinoa. She tensed and closed her eyes.  
" Listen, Rinoa. You've GOT to get out of here. Xu's on your track. And if you don't hide she's gonna find you."  
  
Rinoa looked away and spoke quietly.  
" Once she finds me... you'll have to kill me, won't you? Your sword will pierce my heart."  
" Rinoa, don't talk like that! I'm your Knight, remember? I could never betray you."  
" If you really don't wanna kill me, then how come when Xu said that you were going to you didn't refuse!? If you really meant what you just said then you *would* have refused. You don't mean it. I just... can't believe you. No matter how much I want to."  
" Rinoa...."  
" Just leave, okay? I don't..." Rinoa trembled, " I don't want you near me!"  
Squall's eyes retreated back to look at the floor. He got up slowly and opened the door to the room. Taking a last look back, he exited the room. He would soon regret that action, for at the moment he left Rinoa was on the floor in a heap of sweat.   
__________________________________  
RINOA  
Rinoa sat on the floor, her cloak cascading down the arch of her back and onto the floor. She breathed heavily now and fought the urge to let her mind take over. The Sorceress grasped the edge of the blue bed near her and struggled to get to her feet. As she rose, a woman barged forcefully into her small hotel room. Rinoa jumped in fear, but recoiled when she recognized the person.   
" Long time no see, Xu. So, what kind of sinister plans have you been masterminding lately?"  
Xu was strolling around the room while Rinoa talked and took a sudden stop upon hearing her last words. " What?"  
" Oh, yeah. I know you all too well. Too well for only knowing you for a few months until I was shipped onto another planet for being a 'troublesome' Sorceress." Rinoa stressed the word troublesome with her own quotations that she made with the index and middle finger on her left and right hand.  
"...."  
Rinoa made circles around the shocked Xu. " I was naïve then. I thought that you were right. I thought I *was* a 'troublesome' Sorceress. You said that I would bring destruction on my twentieth birthday. When I heard that I got scared... so scared that I would bring harm to Squall. That's why I let them take me without fighting back."  
The Sorceress stopped suddenly to stare at Xu with deadly eyes. " But YOU. Why did you take away our happiness?"  
Xu's eyes watered as she looked away. Wiping away the tears, she returned Rinoa's glare.  
" You.... You came waltzing in like some *Princess* right into the Garden. Right into Squall's heart. It wasn't fair at all. I had known him for much longer than you did. *Years* longer. I... I wanted his attention. For years I craved for it. Yet when you came in, all you had to do is stare into his eyes and you had him twisted around your finger! You... *whore*!"  
Rinoa was taken aback at Xu's abrupt outburst. She clenched her fist and continued to fight the urge to let her mind take over.  
" Besides, you *are* troublesome. You killed so many people before you took your leave of this planet. Don't you remember in the ship up in space? You let loose thousands of monsters. And who do you think lost their lives because of your stupidity? Yes, that's right. *Innocent* people."  
Rinoa looked away. " But... I was possessed. How could I have known what I was doing? I--"  
  
" That does NOT justify your actions! It's just that sentiment that Edea Kramer shared. And she killed just as many, or more, people as you have! I sent you to that planet not only to separate you from Squall but to stop you from getting possessed again and killing other innocent people."   
" It's not like I murdered them myself!"  
Xu ignored Rinoa's remark and continued on. " Just think of how many children were left without a mother to care for them." Rinoa winced. " I'm sure you know how that feels. And to think... you were the one who caused that pain."  
Rinoa turned away and felt the sweat tricking down her back. The blood began to rush to her head. Xu, seeing this, began to feel afraid but resumed her talking nevertheless.   
" You caused pain that you didn't want anyone else to suffer. You're... a monster unfit to receive Squall's love."  
Rinoa, finally infuriated to the maximum level, lifted her hands up in a swift motion to clasp them together. " I've... heard... ENOUGH!!"  
The sheets on the bed flailed across the room to find its escape outside of the window and into the endless ocean below. Rinoa unclasped her hands and put them in front of her, all too willing to unleash a deadly attack that could kill hundreds in a single blow. Xu screamed the only name that seemed to be on her mind.  
" SQUALL!!!"  
___________________________________  
SQUALL  
Squall perked his head up from the ground upon hearing the high-pitched feminine voice of his instructor. On instinct, he rushed to the hotel where he had just retreated from only minutes before. When he entered he saw something that he could never have imagined seeing.  
  
Rinoa stood tall by the remains of the bed. Her cloak had risen to her shoulder with minor tears at the bottom that had been caused by Rinoa's sudden power. She had small, blue spheres of magic in her palms that glowed brightly in the demolished hotel room. Xu stood across from her wearing a countenance that spelled out only pure fear. The possessed Sorceress stepped forward to come closer to Squall.  
" Squall... I'm scared."  
The lone wolf's eyes filled with concern for Rinoa. This sudden plea did not phase Xu, however, as she turned around to Squall and grabbed hold of his arm affectionately. She pointed to Rinoa.  
" This is your only chance! Kill her now!"  
A/N: Ah, finally... I updated. I'm really sick so that explains the long wait. Thanks for sticking with me. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Review, please! ~Bianka-chan 


	4. Fatal Premonition

Disclaimer: I own nothing in association to FFVIII.   
  
I've reached 10 reviews! Thank you to all of my reviewers. Although I only had two reviews for my last chapter, it's better than nothing.   
  
Ink  
  
Phoenix Blade  
  
The both of you deserve cookies! Thanks!  
  
Due to the better quality and ease of writing in first person, I'm going to switch the story into the perspective of either Squall's or Rinoa's, literally. I hope that you guys like it better that way, because writing in third person is harder for me.   
  
I'm sorry for the very long wait in between these two updates. I had the flu and then went straight another illness that doesn't seem to want to go away.   
  
This chapter's going to include a bit of horror. Sorry guys. It may be confusing in the beginning, but it'll all make sense towards the middle of it. Alrighty, here's the chapter!  
Chapter 4: Fatal Premonition  
RINOA  
  
I stood there, with my torn cape and all, before the door of Squall. It was adorned with blood that trickled down to make a crimson puddle on the floor. Walking forward slowly, I stepped into the house by gently touching the door to the entrance. Before I had even traveled far, Squall had jumped out of the sunroof to briskly wrap his arms about my neck. He held his gunblade only a few centimeters away from my trachea.  
  
I gasped, unable to comprehend what he was trying to do. If it was a joke, it certainly wasn't funny. Moving frantically, I placed my hands on his foreharm to try and remove his arms from my neck. To no avail, I attempted to try and talk to him.  
  
" What the hell are you doing!?"  
  
His reply seemed to be drowned in acid that flowed from his mouth and burned the flesh off of my shoulders. After recovering himself, he spoke in a low, demonic voice that made the little hairs on the back of my neck rise.  
  
" I'll wrap each layer of your skin around your body so that you won't die cold.... I promise...."  
  
My heart began to race in fear. " What are you talking about!?"  
  
But I wouldn't be alive long enough to hear his reply. He then promptly lowered his gunblade to my stomach and sliced it clearly through. The last thing I remember is feeling the blood run down my stomach, eyes, and mouth to create a blood-stained carpet. Squall's face could be seen with an unmistakable smirk that spoke only hatred.  
  
  
I woke up with a start as beads of sweat oozed down my back. Laying back down slowly, I began to remember what had happened the day before.  
  
*Xu.... Did I kill her? And Squall... he was there, too. I hope I didn't kill him.*  
  
I turned around on my bed to lay on my side.  
  
*And if I killed Xu, would Squall be mad? Maybe they had become more than friends in these past three years. I wouldn't know. What's with me lately, though? I could have prevented what happened. How could I have let myself go like that? It's not like me. Maybe I *am* troublesome....*  
  
Yawning, I rise from my bed and walk around the room. Noting my open window, I travel to it and smile at the wind as it sends chills down my spine.   
  
* What was with that dream, anyway? Am I paranoid? Xu did tell Squall to kill me, and Squall can be obedient at the at the strangest of times. Would he dare?*  
  
And with that, I gathered my belongings, which wasn't much, placed them securely in my arms, and hurdled out of the window.  
__________________________________  
SQUALL  
  
I strode along the long corridors of the Garden. My shoes clicked loudly in the empty building. Scoffing, I sat down on a nearby bench and balanced my elbows on my knees and put my hands on my forehead. I stared lifelessly at the ground.  
  
* Rinoa tried to kill Xu. I suppose Xu wanted me to protect her, but I can't protect her at the risk of hurting Rinoa. No matter how long I've been separated from her, my feelings won't change. It's hopeless for Xu to try and change that. But, why would Rinoa try and kill someone? She's always been afraid of fighting on her own. Could she have changed that much over the course of three years? Even so, she wouldn't kill one of her friends, would she?*  
  
Removing my arms from my knees, I leaned backward on the bench and sighed.  
  
" Rinoa's not... the same."   
  
Faint clicking sounds were evident in my immediate area. So, I bolted my head upward to see who was heading my way. My eyes rolled by themselves upon seeing my Commander.  
  
" What do you want now?"  
  
Xu rested her right elbow in her left hand and put her right hand dramatically on her face. She rolled her eyes in mock imitation.  
  
" Why are you mad at me? I'm not the one that tried to *kill* you earlier."  
  
I laughed at her mistake and smirked. " Funny, I thought it was *you* that she tried to kill. But I suppose you wanted to forget that, right? I mean, Commanders aren't supposed to scream like scared little five-year-old girls at the sight of danger." Shifting, I turned to the side so that I wouldn't have to look at her, " Maybe you just don't have leadership qualities."  
  
Surprisingly, Xu didn't snap back at me. Instead she sat down next to me on the bench and laid her head on my back. I was ready to throw her over my shoulder, but she began speaking in choked syllables that sounded more pathetic than anything that I'd ever heard before.  
  
" Oh, Squall.... You should know that I care about you so much. Much more than that Rinoa person. She was only with you for show. She's nothing more than a whore. But I..." she began to run her finger along my back, " I've loved you for so long, and there is no love any greater. Please just forget about her and stay with me."  
  
Needless to say, her actions made me snap. I dashed up from where I was sitting at an alarming speed and began walking hastily away to the exit of the Garden. Xu made a loud clatter as she lost her balance and stood up to run after me. Annoyed, I began running faster to get out of there before she caught me.   
  
" Squall, please! Come with me to the restaurant in Balamb. We can talk this out!"  
  
" Forget about it."  
  
" This is an order from your Commander, Squall Leonhart!"  
  
I stopped dead in my tracks. " Whatever...."  
*In Balamb*  
  
I walked in front of Xu, careful not to make anyone think that we were together. Frankly, I was disgusted with her. She didn't make things easier, though, and was constantly meeting up with me to put her hand on my arm. I had to shake her away every time. It was nothing short of bothersome.   
  
I was apprehensive of the idea of Xu sitting at the same table as me when we arrived at the tiny restaurant. However, I was compelled to comply with Xu's guileless demand. We sat on the chairs at a table for two. Instantaneously, I shot the menu over my face. She ordered us two drinks while I hid. I heard a clinking noise when it arrived and the rustling of a bag, but I ignored it. My attempts to veil myself were in vain, though, because Xu speedily pulled the menu down to the table. She presented me with her most dazzling smile, but it was nothing compared to Rinoa's.  
  
" Squall, honey," she stopped talking for a moment as she saw me making a gag face, " we need to talk about the Master Plan. You see, the plan was to *kill* Rinoa. But, you made no effort to do so when we found her in Balamb Hotel. There's no need to make this difficult; this has gotta be your easiest assignment yet. If you don't kill her on your own, I'm afraid that I'll have to force you."  
  
I snorted and took a long guzzle of my glassed drink. " You? Force me? That's a joke, right?"  
  
Xu smiled in response and put her right hand to my cheek. I would have swiped it away but I suddenly felt dizzy.   
  
" I thought you would feel that way."  
  
My vision whirled into little bubbles and my head felt like it weighed a ton. I glared at Xu and reached for my gunblade with a trembling hand. But I knew that there was nothing I could do to stop what was coming next.  
  
" You...." I hissed.  
  
Xu only snickered at my antics and neared my waning body. That was the last thing I saw, until the world seemed to fade into darkness.   
  
*Rinoa....*  
~***********************~  
A/N: YAY! Chapter four, DONE! Finally! Sorry that this chapter was shorter than my other ones, but my mind really isn't back to normal yet. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review! By the way, it'd be really cool if you looked at my other fanfic: Blind Love. Thanks! Bye! ~Bianka-chan 


	5. Underhanded Intrigue

Disclaimer: I own nothing on association with FFVIII.  
  
11 reviews, huh? ONE review for my last chapter? I must be getting pretty unpopular. Oh well, I shan't give up yet! Thank you VERY MUCH for my one review.   
@--}--~*Mariko*~--{--@  
@--}-- is my attempt at a flower=). THANKS MARIKO!  
Also, a very special thank you to my co-writer, editor, and sister: *Pryotempest.*  
I don't have much to say in the beginning of this chapter, so let's get on with the show!  
  
  
Chapter 5: Underhanded Intrigue.  
  
  
  
RINOA  
  
I had glided gracefully out of my window, holding strong air in my hands as I descended. It was easy to control the wind on my own so that I wouldn't land painfully on the concrete below. The wind took my hair into its strong grasp and sent it flying in several directions. The cloak that I wore was lifted above my head as I fell with my feet downward. Looking around, I could see the beautiful ocean that I had anticipated to see and the small houses that were becoming bigger with every passing second. Straying away from my observances, I returned to focusing on my control spell. My concentration was broken, however, when a faint memory came into my mind.  
  
" I'll wrap each layer of your skin around your body so that you won't die cold.... I promise...."  
  
Those chilly words made my blood run cold. The focus that I had shattered into ribbons as the wind seemed to crash down on my back. I hurtled down to the ground, my clothes billowing in the wind as they created my own shadowy darkness. My cloak had begun to flutter and stretched outward to look like ebony wings. Shouts of 'Sorceress' were heard clearly in the small town, but all screams were silenced as I landed on my shoulder with a sickening crack. Discouraged, I was more than ready to give up right there and then.   
  
*So, my quest to be with Squall ends here....*  
  
I heard shoes clicking nearby as I stumbled back in to reality. Startled, I opened my chocolate eyes, turned my head up from the cold, rough, uninviting ground, and looked up.  
  
A young, spiky, blond haired teenager was starring quizzically at me, his gloved hand placed securely on his upper lip. Upon seeing him, I almost jumped for joy. The black tattoo on the left side of his face was unmistakable, and his playful blue eyes danced in deliberation. I extended my uninjured arm to him and waited patiently for him to seize it and haul me up. When he did, I immediately embraced him in an affable manner. I could feel his body burning with embarrassment, but it did not stop me; I was far too happy to see him.   
  
I could hear him lift his hand up to scratch his head. " Do I... know you?" he said, his voice questionable.  
  
I snorted in his chest. " Zell... it's just like you to forget me."  
  
" Whoa, whoa! You even know my name!"  
  
Irritated, I backed away from him and allowed him to inspect my face, which was, at that moment, quite pouty in a somewhat childish way. Finally, his face lit up and he put his hand on my shoulder. With his other hand he wiped at his nose leisurely.   
  
" I knew you'd come back! Welcome home, Rinoa!"  
  
I examined my surroundings and smiled, happy to finally find a friend in this world where I thought I no longer had anyone.   
  
" Home...." I echoed with an almost sad voice.  
  
Zell smiled in his same, genial manner and presented me with his T-Board. Curious, I tilted my head to the side and waited for him to explain. He dropped it down so that it floated a few inches from the ground.  
  
" Sit on the edge and I'll ride on the back," he grinned mischievously, " It'd be my pleasure to escort you to my house."   
  
With a nod, I obeyed. He stood tall behind me and started on the slow ride to his house. I leaned backward and rested my head on his leg, thankful for his aid. Zell didn't notice the blood that was beginning to stain his pants and T-Board, nor did he notice the warm tears that slowly flowed along his leg.   
  
__________________________________  
  
SQUALL (A/N: It won't be in first person because-hey- he's conked out.)  
  
Xu meandered around Squall in a frustrated manner. She set her hands on her hips and turned to glare at her accomplice. Her ally merely stared back at her with a cheesy grin on his adolescent face.  
  
" Almasy! How strong was that pill!?"  
  
Seifer replied by waving his hand playfully in front of his face in a way similar to how his friend Raijin would have. " Only strong enough to knock out an elephant, *Miss* Xu." he sneered.  
  
Xu stormed over to meet Seifer face to face. " Squall is *not* an elephant, Almasy."  
  
Seifer snickered in retort. " No? Well, you learn new things every day."  
  
Inflamed, Xu threw her hands high into the air and back down again She folded her arms impatiently and turned away from Seifer. " So how long do we have to wait?"  
  
Seifer smirked happily and spun around in his velvet chair. " Six hours maybe? But-who knows- Squall might just be awake earlier. It depends on how strong he is. And I *do* remember reading in your diary how strong you say Squall is."  
  
" How dare you--"   
  
" Ow...." came a quiet, murmur from the other side of Seifer and Xu.  
  
Both heads turned to see Squall turning his head about in his chair. His eyes opened dreamily and he gaped at the sight of his surroundings.   
  
" And there he is." Seifer said in an almost worried tone.   
  
*Alright...* Seifer thought. *Now I've gotta stall. I HATE being the hero.*  
  
~Squall's actual POV~  
  
My head lolled backward in an almost drunken manner. Everything before me was nothing more than fuzz and all noises seemed to be at least a mile away. I blinked my eyes several times and attempted to adjust to the brightness of the room. The room was a dark shade of blue as well as the furniture. [oxy-moron isn't it?]Turning my head to each side, I could see that it was a tiny room with only two occupants. Angry, I opened my mouth to snarl at them, but found that I was unable to speak.   
  
Xu strolled over to me in awkward, exaggerated motions that were obvious attempts to impress me. With all the strength that I could muster, I scoffed lightly and spat on her face. She wiped the spit away in a frustrated motion and pointed a finger at the middle of my face. I craned my neck to look to my right, slapping her finger with my hair. (A/N: No, the hair isn't skilled in kung fu, it was simply brushing against her finger.) She took this as her chance to slit my cheek with her sharp nail all the way down to the curve of my chin. Disgusted, I thought about biting her but refrained from doing so for fear that she would enjoy that in her own sick little way.   
  
From the corner of my eye I could see Seifer looking about the room frantically and biting his thumbnail. He exhaled suddenly, got up from his blue, velvet chair, and approached Xu with his right hand in the air as if he were swearing 'Scout's Honor'.  
  
" So, maybe we should analyze the plan once more. We can't be too hasty about this, you know?" Seifer spoke nervously, his hand shaking in the air.  
  
Xu's retort was acid. " No. I've waited too long for this moment. I can't spend any more time planning what I should have done long ago. Go downstairs and press the lever, Almasy." she said, pointing her other finger squarely behind her.  
  
Seifer shifted uncomfortably and reluctantly stepped backward. He waved his hands frenetically behind Xu's back, but I chose to ignore him, believing that any sort of communication from him could be trusted just as much as Xu's could. Dispirited, Seifer shrugged and walked gradually to the exit door.  
  
Xu remained staring at me as if I were some portrait that was on display. Finding my voice, I spoke viciously.  
  
" Get away from me, you bitch."   
  
Xu laughed wickedly. " Funny you should say that. You see, with you here defenseless, it would be easier than pilfering candy from a baby to simply... well... alter your opinion on killing Rinoa, your bitch."  
  
" What!?"  
  
Xu laughed again. " Oh, Squall. It's mind controlling. I can make you kill who you love most: Rinoa." She looked at me evilly. " Your sword will pierce her heart."  
  
__________________________________  
  
RINOA  
  
Zell took me into his house with open arms. I was more than thankful for his mother's kind offerings, but I knew that I shouldn't be here, not with the entire world after me. However, the comfortable abode of the Dincht family was far too welcoming for me to refuse. The halls were painted blue and everything seemed bigger than it had been before. Maybe it was because I had been gone for so long. Whatever the case, the idea of calling a place home was something to be treasured.  
  
I traveled up the stairs cheerfully, eager to talk to Zell about how things had been going during my absence. Only a moment before I knocked on his door, I heard him talking in a loud voice. Curious, I put my ear to the door and listened intently.  
  
" WHAT!? No way!! Squall's coming to KILL Rinoa!? You've gotta be kidding, man! They're, like, soulmates!" There was a long pause in between his next retort. " Xu? WHOA! I never liked her. Yeah? ...Yeah? Okay, but be quick. I've got Rinoa here, and there's no way I'm gonna let Xu ruin her welcome home party! See ya, Seifer."  
  
I stood there at the door, shocked. My fingers trembled at my sides and my temples began to throb. Before I could turn back, Zell burst through the door with a worried look on his face. He froze when he saw me there, looking like a sad puppy.  
  
" So, you heard, didn't you? I'm sorry." He tried to look me in the eye, but I turned down my head. With a strong hand, he lifted my chin up to look at him, " Hey, things are gonna be all right. Seifer's got it all under control. With a little manipulation, things should work out just fine." But I still wasn't convinced. I bit my lip and evaded eye contact by looking toward the large mirror in the hallway to my left. " Yo! We beat Ultimecia as a team, so we can beat Xu as a team, too."  
  
This made me perk my head up. I looked at him, my eyes pleading. In an almost shy manner, I scraped my feet slowly along the brown, hardwood floor. " Team? You mean... *everyone*?"  
  
He smiled triumphantly. " Hell yeah!" Zell made a thumbs-up sign with his right hand and pointed it at himself, " I called them over. They'll be here to help soon. We'd never let you down, you know? We're a team!"  
  
I finally gave in to his optimism and jumped up and down like I would have three years ago. With unrivaling benevolence, I laid my right arm across his shoulders and led him downstairs.  
  
" So, you've gotten smarter over the past three years. Really, I'm impressed." I said with a playful smirk.   
  
" Hehehe. Maybe I have." Zell smiled.  
  
" Oh, by the way, what was that about a party that you mentioned on the phone?" I asked, an impish grin forming on my face.  
  
Zell stiffened. " Uh, what party?"  
  
__________________________________  
  
SQUALL  
  
Xu was waiting impatiently in front of me, both hands on her hips with her fingers tapping fretfully. Already bored, I was about to go to sleep. Just as I was drifting away, the door banged open to reveal a joyful-looking Seifer. He marched in, wearing the broadest of smiles. I looked at him querulously, surprised to see Seifer with such a childish smile on his face. The Commander wasn't happy to see him, however, and she circled around unhappily to glower at Seifer.  
  
" Well? Did you press the lever?"  
  
Seifer stared at her with a puzzled look on his face. " THAT'S what I was supposed to do. You see, I just went to the bathroom." he waved his right hand in the air and made a disgusted face as if he had smelt something bad, " I really shouldn't have had so much spicy food last night! I had some *nasty* dia--"  
  
" I didn't ask for a report! Just... go back there... and press... the lever." Xu paused between her words to let out steam from her gritted teeth.  
  
My rival saluted in a teasing style and jogged to the exit of the door, halting briefly to wave at me. I furrowed my brows, confused as to which side he was on. Xu sighed in front of me, sagging her body downward in defeat. She returned to a straight pose when she realized that I was in front of her and played with her hair in her attempt of a flirtatious style, but, of course, she failed miserably.   
  
Xu neared where I sat leisurely, a wicked smile forming on her face. " In just a few moments, you'll be out of here and in Balamb, laying the finishing touch to Rinoa. And if she comes up with the audacity to retaliate against you and kills you... believe me, I'll kill her myself. You don't think I can? If I were a normal person like every other pathetic creature in this world, I don't think I'd be able to either." She bent down in front of me in a seductive pose, " But I'm not. I'm just as strong, or stronger than Rinoa.   
  
" You see, after the Sorceress War ended, I attained my own Sorceress powers. But not from a Sorceress that everyone knew about. Her name was Sorceress Kahi. Such a strong magic-wielder she was. She chose me and I inherited every last bit of her strength...."   
  
She bent down closer and kissed my lips feverishly. Infuriated, I attempted to back up, but the chains all over my body didn't allow me to do so. Desperate, I leaned backward and came back with great force, knocking her head harshly and sending her straight to the ground. Before she could strike back, my breath was taken away by the sudden surge of pain that swept through my already tired body. My eyes blurred and lost their sight, leaving me only to hear of what was going on. Xu's shoes clicking softly as she approached me. I could feel her fingers hovering over my face. I slipped in and out of consciousness only to wake lazily, my mentality already more than halfway gone.  
  
" You're going to... kill Rinoa."  
  
With a strength that was not my own, I ripped through the chains and rose, my eyesight returning. I could feel the anger in my body, but it was telling me something that I never thought I would even imagine doing.  
  
" Kill Rinoa."  
  
Tamely, I ran to the exit and headed to Balamb, my sore feet carrying themseles while I screamed in defiance in my head. Sorrowfully, I realized that the manipulation would soon fully take over, and there would be nothing to stop my rampage.  
  
* Rinoa.... Not Rinoa....*  
  
__________________________________  
  
RINOA  
  
I sat happily on the couch, enjoying the delicious food that Mrs. Dincht brought to Zell and me. Zell ate noisily, leaving crumbs on the clean floor of the living room. We were planning the party that would soon be celebrated, so our moods were irregularly benevolent.   
  
" Will there be lights?" I asked excitedly, " Balloons?"  
  
Zell pounded a fist into one of his hands. " And food! Hot dogs!"  
  
" Everyone will be there, right?" I inquired again.  
  
" Yup. Everyone."  
  
" I wonder if... Squall will come...."  
  
Zell smiled. " I bet he wouldn't miss it for the world!"  
  
That made me grin in return. I pushed back an ebony lock of hair behind my ear and leaned back on the couch, hugging my knees to my stomach. As I was resting my head on the cushions of the couch, an ear-piercing explosion of metal against wood caused the front door to collapse, revealing a powerful soldier dressed in black. He strided out of the shadows, exposing his brown hair and cloudy blue eyes. My eyes widened by themselves and I promptly put a hand to my mouth. The soldier swung his Gunblade rapidly, creating a loud whisper. He lifted the blade back up and rested it on his soldier, tilting his eyes downward to look deadly.   
  
" Hey, Rinoa. I've come here... to kill you."   
~**********************************~  
A/N: Hey, that was long! For me, at least. I hope you enjoyed it; it took me long enough to write it! Please review! Ja ne! ~Bianka-chan. 3/15/03. 


	6. Betrayal

Disclaimer: I own nothing in association to Final Fantasy VIII.  
  
YAY! 14 reviews! I'm officially a loser now! lol. Thanks a bunch for my three reviews!  
  
Mariko- you're great, simply great. If only everyone had such an avid reviewer. I'm so lucky!  
  
Anonymous- Hey, you're, like, the first anonymous review that actually puts their name as anonymous lol. Thanks for your compliments; it's what keeps me going.  
  
Mystic Kana- un-paralleled in every aspect? I wouldn't go that far but thanks! The simile to ebony wings? That was my sister's idea. Thank you.  
Chapter Six: Betrayal.  
RINOA  
I stared at him, completely bewildered. Zell behind me stood up, but I felt as if I was in a trance and that I couldn't move at all. Squall strolled forward confidently, his Gunblade swinging in half circles on his shoulder. The spiky, blonde haired young man beside me walked in front of me to block any attacks that Squall might try.  
  
" Don't even try to touch her. I don't know who the hell you are, but you're not Squall!"  
  
Squall leaned his head backwards and laughed menacingly. Taking his Gunblade off of his shoulder, he swung it in front of him in the same manner that he had before normal fights in the past. He frowned and pointed the blade to Zell's face. " Get out of my way."  
  
Zell lifted up his chin and balled his fists at his side in his own attempt to size Squall up. He stood on his tips of his toes. " You'll have to get through me first!"  
  
I remained glued to the couch, watching them as they fought in a flurry of movements. Squall would attack, and Zell would move out of the way; Zell would attack and Squall would parry. It was all the same to me. And this was all for me. Why would I always be the reason for problems? It was then that I made my decision. Gathering all my remaining courage, I stood up and lifted my right hand. From my palm came tiny specs of red that soon came together to form a ball of fire. Reluctantly, I aimed at Zell and shot it with only a slight movement of my hand. Zell flew into a wall and lost his consciousness then, leaving Squall to stare at me.  
  
" I'm your enemy. Now, fight like the man you once were!"  
  
With that, Squall came running at me like he would have run at Seifer in the past days. All of his movements were the same, each blow hitting the air to the left or right of me. After all this time I had anticipated he would have become stronger, but it seemed as if I had passed him in strength and tactics after three long years. Wearing a painful face, I finally attacked Squall with my weakest spell. He staggered backwards to spring back even angrier than before. Caught off guard, he was able to slam the dull part of his Gunblade to my injured shoulder, making me howl in pain.   
  
And as I laid there in pain, I could see from the corner of my eye that Squall was lifting his Gunblade high into the air for the finishing touch. Feeling that I had nothing else left to do, I looked up to stare at him sadly and began to sing the song that he and I claimed our own.  
  
Whenever sang my songs  
On the stage, on my own  
Whenever said my words  
Wishing they would be heard  
I saw you smiling at me  
Was it real or just my fantasy?  
You'd always be there in the corner  
Of this tiny little bar  
  
His eyes seemed to lose their malice when I sang. I smiled at this and began to walk slowly towards him.   
__________________________________  
AT THE GARDEN  
Xu banged her head on the controls on last time. Infuriated, she slammed her fists on the controls and turned her head to glare at Seifer. " What the hell is wrong with the controls? Why isn't he trying to kill her?"  
  
Seifer just smiled at her frustration and put a hand through his short, blonde hair. " I don't know. I'm not the one who made that thing."  
  
Xu picked her hands up from the controls and straightened her hair and clothing. Finally, she swerved around on her heel and began walking to the exit of the small room. This surprised Seifer, making him jump out of his chair and get in front of her. He waved his hands nervously in her face.  
  
" Hey, hey! Where are you going?"  
  
Xu swiped his hands away with hers. " I'm going to go set Squall straight."  
  
Seifer bit his lip. " Um... how about we dance? I read in your diary that you always wanted to dance with Squall! I'm close enough, right? I mean, I'm his rival after all."  
  
" I don't have time for your antics."  
  
* This is about to get embarrassing.* Seifer though. * Squall owes me BIG TIME.*   
  
Seifer darted in front of Xu and leaned against a cabinet in an enticing pose. " Have I ever told you how..." Seifer gulped, " pretty you look?"   
  
Xu stopped in her tracks and spat, " Get out of my face, Seifer."  
  
* How I hate drawling on....*  
  
The ex-Knight smiled and put on his most love-sick face that he could. " You... you actually called me by my name! Does that mean that you're falling for me?"  
  
Xu squinted her eyes and stared questioningly at Seifer. " Are you really that desperately in love with me?"  
  
* Desperate isn't the word....*  
  
Seifer gulped again and nodded slowly. " I'm in head over heels...."  
  
Xu smiled halfway and poked Seifer in the stomach. " Then let's dance."  
  
" D-d-dance!? Err... are you serious? I mean... will you really dance with me?"  
  
Xu smiled broadened as she put her left hand on Seifer's neck. " Of course not." She lifted him up with her hand and lifted her other up to his head. " Now, die!"  
  
And with that, a blinding light filled the room. When it cleared, the only present thing was Seifer's bleeding body that had hurled across the room.  
___________________________________  
RINOA  
Squall was closing his eyes and biting his lip when I sang the rest of the song to him. As I finished, he reopened his eyes and released his lips from his teeth's grasp. Forgetting my fears, I ran into his arms. It didn't surprise me when he didn't embrace me back, but there was no greater happiness than mine at that moment. I was finally able to return to Squall.   
  
I could feel Squall's hand rising beside me to rest on my waist. Surprised, I gasped and came out of his chest to stare at him. He didn't smile, but I could tell that he was happy. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I returned to his chest. My quest was finally over... or so I thought.  
  
Distant clicks came more and more audible as Squall and I embraced, and when they stopped, they made their entrance.   
  
" So, this is how you thank me?" Xu came to stand at our shoulders, which is as far as her height would let her. " I helped you recover from your depression and you return to this monster? You leave me with no choice." Xu said as she took a sword from the sheath that hung on her belt. " You're either with me or you burn in Hell!"  
  
With her abrupt announcement to kill Squall, my Knight pushed me roughly out of the way. I tumbled to the floor in amazement. They exchanged blows for only a few moments, and it was obvious that Xu had something up her sleeve because she was easily beating Squall.   
  
She sent Squall to the floor about a yard to the right of me with a powerful spell. My eyes widened as I saw her inch toward Squall with that bloody sword in her grasp. The lone wolf rose from the ground in a daze, his eyes clearly not on Xu. Knowing nothing else to do, I ran to Squall. But Xu was quick and she was going to get their before I would.   
  
Xu lifted the sword to soar over our heads. I stopped directly in front of Squall. At that moment Xu swung the sword down with a masterful stroke.   
___________________________________  
At last, my eyesight was restored. It returned just in time for me to see Xu slicing her thick-bladed sword across the small frame of Rinoa. My angel turned around to me and smiled the best she could. I held her then, feeling her body shake. She reached with a shaking hand to touch the cut along my face that Xu had done earlier.   
  
" I love you."   
  
With those words, Rinoa collapsed in my arms. I turned her face up with my index finger to look at her beautiful face. Her face was pallid and frozen and held very little resemblence to the Rinoa I had known before. Saddened beyond grief, I dropped to my knees with Rinoa in my arms.   
  
My eyes began to sting and I held no defense to these emotions. The tears streamed down my face and landed on Rinoa's lifeless body. I squeezed Rinoa closer to me and let my tears fall into her silky hair. " No..." I whispered.  
  
" NO!!!!"   
~**********************************~  
A/N: BWAHAHA! CLIFFHANGER! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. PLEASE review; I'm on my knees, you guys! Thanks so much for reading! Sayonara! ~Bianka-chan. 3/23/03. 


	7. Love Conquers All

Disclaimer: I own nothing in affilation to Final Fantasy VIII.  
  
Whoa, whoa! From 14 reviews to 34!? Did my whining and complaining finally come through? Thanks everybody! I actually had ten reviews for my last chapter but some really nice people decided to review my other chapters, too!  
  
LOL- Listen, dude, why the hell do you always do that? You ATTEMPT to flame me, but you always get your facts COMPLETELY wrong! You said that I "copied" the part where Rinoa dies from the Gunblade from Ashbear. Um... NO! Rinoa didn't even die from a gunblade! She died by Xu's sword! You seriously need to work on your reading comprehension. If you're going to flame somebody, make sure that you know what you're talking about, because you obviously don't. Oh, and you don't have to flame me twice; I can read, unlike you.  
  
dark angel- I totally agree with you: Squall and Rinoa should be together and Xu should burn in hell! But now that Rinoa's dead, how's that going to happen? Thanks so much for your review!^_^  
  
Anonymous- What an educated review lol. It's interesting? Thanks.  
  
Griever Leonhart- KAKAKA! I seriously liked your review. Thanks bunches.  
  
Karla- Yup! Xu's gonna get it now. Oh, and don't feel bad about not reviewing until chapter 6; I'm glad that you reviewed! I have your full support? R...really? *sniff* That's so nice!  
  
Kia- XU IS A COW! I agree! Ooh, I love it when people get into it. ^_^. Sorry for making you mad, lol. Thanks for your review!  
  
Maria Rose Black- Yesh, Squall looked deadly. You get a mental pic from that? Oh yeah, he's hot. I'm glad you liked that, hehe. Yeah... Rinoa was so brave. It'll all pay off, you'll see!  
  
Mystic Kana- Hey there you nice person you! You reviewed all of my chapters! Thanks so much for your comments; you're seriously helping me through everything.   
  
BloodLethal- Hellooo! Thanks SOO much for reviewing all of my chapters! I'm deeply indebted! You seem excited; so, I won't make you wait any longer for the chapter!  
  
Chapter 7: Love Conquers All.  
  
SQUALL  
  
Deplorable my actions were. To think that I had assisted this monster of a woman at the Garden. Xu... who had taken all the happiness that I had come to know. This was her plot from the beginning. A curse, she is; sending woe to any unfortunate enemy.  
  
And if I had thought that I was lonely before, that moment would be the time to realize how agonizingly wrong I was. My world had turned into a black hole that sucked in anyone who didn't have someone else to hold on to.   
  
And-no matter how much the truth hurt- I had to accept it; I was so... so alone.  
  
But I didn't have time to sulk in self-pity. I had to get my revenge on Xu for taking away my angel, and I would achieve this no matter what the cost. Having made that decision, I laid Rinoa's limp body gently on the floor. Her chocolate hair was sprawled in every direction and her cloak billowed about her. Gritting my teeth, I turned up from Rinoa's blood-ridden body to glare at Xu.  
  
Xu was smiling there, Rinoa's blood streaming down her sweaty face. She took this time to chuckle and put her sword back in its crimson sheath, " So... I got what I wanted anyway. If you play your cards right, I might let you back into the Garden as my assistant. As long as you don't tell anyone about this... incident here, that is."  
  
Xu lifted up her right foot and proceeded to kick Rinoa. Already angry, I took joy in slashing her foot away with my Gunblade, making Xu's dark red blood scatter on the floor, " You won't touch her, come near her, breathe in her vicinity, talk about her, or even think about her, Xu."  
  
Cupping her hand to her mouth, Xu let out a laugh, " Oh my. I think that little Squall has lost his temper."  
  
I drew my Gunblade back behind me as several ribbons of yellow began gathering into its blade, " No, Xu, I lost Rinoa. You should fear that much, much more!"  
  
From the corner of my eye I could see Zell opening his eyes and slowly getting up. He gaped at me, " Yo! You're using Lionheart on the Commander!?"  
  
I smirked as the final ribbons were drained and lifted up my sword, " Yeah, I'm using Lionheart. This should be over quickly."  
  
But, to my dismay, Xu only grinned, " You still don't understand. Squall, you can't do anything to me."  
  
" No, Xu, *you* don't understand. I just lost everything, and *you're* going to pay," I began running toward Xu in a frenzied manner, " This is for Rinoa!!"  
  
______________________________   
  
RINOA (A/N: Ah... life after death.)  
  
I walked around on the dark world, darting my head from side to side in hopes of finding some sort of light. When I found none, I shook my head and walked still forward. Almost scared, I clasped my right hand over the ring on my necklace.  
  
*Will this be my eternity? I don't wanna be alone....*  
  
I traveled along quickly, my pace almost at a run. My liveliness was soon drained, however, by the need for food and water. Reluctantly, I trudged through the darkness, kicking the ground with my pained movements. Thoroughly exhausted, I collapsed to the cold floor face down, draping my body with my long, tattered cloak.  
  
*I can't make it alone....*   
  
As if on cue, the skies of the dark land cleared, revealing a blinding light of white glory that spread like a blanket. Instinctively, I shielded my eyes. When the light became bearable, I peaked out from my hands and gasped, " Lelani? What are you doing here?"   
  
The red-haired woman bent down near me and lifted my chin up with her finger, " I knew that you'd get killed. How can Squall mean so much to you that you'd give up your own life? I worked so hard to convince the people on Gaia to let you go back, and you thank me by getting killed?"  
  
I looked away sadly, " I'm sorry. I--"  
  
Lelani took her finger away from my chin and put it thoughtfully on her own, " But it was courageous, and I admire that." My friend stood up, making me strain my neck to see her clearly, " That thing you told me about before you left... the power of love, you said? That got me thinking. How strong exactly *is* the power of love? So, with that in mind, I made another deal."  
  
I stood up slowly and stared wearily into her face, " What kind of deal?"  
  
Lelani smiled, " I'm getting you outta here." The red-haired woman pointed her index finger in my face, " I'm giving you one...last...chance!" She closed her eyes and smiled, " After that, you're history."  
  
Lelani opened one eye to see my face and smiled a toothy grin. She motioned her hands in a frantic gesture, " Go on! Get outta here! Go back to your Squall!"  
  
" But how do I get back?"  
  
" Your body already has its warmth and organs working. As for the rest, well, you're the one with the power of love!"  
  
I furrowed my brows, " What? But how?"  
  
Lelani began jumping up and down, " C'mon! Wish yourself back!"  
  
" Wish myself back...?"   
  
I felt a wind come from underneath me. Petals came to dance in front of me all in one great whiff of beauty. Lelani clapped suddenly and smirked, " Tell me. Why do you want to go back? What's the sole reason why you want your life?"  
  
Feeling the wind growing stronger and seeing the petals fly up high into the air, I beamed, " It's because.... It's because I love Squall!"   
  
______________________________  
  
SQUALL  
  
I don't know how the hell she did it, but Xu did. She blocked every last one of my Lionheart slashes. Xu didn't have a scratch on her. This left me to glare at her in disdain and back away mechanically. To my surprise, I bumped into something.   
  
" Hey, Zell, you've gained weight. You surely shouldn't have... those...."  
  
" But, Squall, I'm right here." Zell said from the other side of the room.  
  
Curious, I turned around. To my astonishment, I found Rinoa smiling mischievously behind me. I spread my arms apart from each other, ready for her to run right into them. And when she did, I felt all of my sorrows being lifted into the air, and each of them was replaced by one solitary thing... Rinoa.  
  
But I was a fool if I thought that Xu would stand for this. Seconds later, I heard the whisper of her metal sword as it descended. However, her sword never hit flesh. I looked up from Rinoa to see that Xu's sword was lodged in a protective shield. Rinoa backed out of our embrace and put her hand levelly in front of her in a spellcasting stance. She glanced at me for a moment and grinned affectionately.  
  
" Let's beat her together. Squall.... let's defeat her with the power of love!"  
  
I agreed silently and whisked my Gunblade in front of me. Rinoa walked in front of me and put her hand on the hilt of the Gunblade, right next to where mine were. The Gunblade started shimmering with a radiant color of lime. With a nod, we both proceeded to end Xu.  
  
We both released one hand from the hilt and pointed it at Xu, " Stop," we exclaimed in unison, brining Xu to a standstill.  
  
Rinoa snickered impishly and returned her hand to the hilt, laying it directly on top of mine, " You can only block one 'Stop' attack."  
  
I snickered as well and took a step forward, " Now... die slowly!"  
  
We ran toward the stagnant Xu with perfect coordination. As we neared, we elevated the Gunblade to tower above Xu. With one last glimpse of the Commander, we sliced her feeble body in half, dispersing blood to all corners of the room, and leaving her gory carcass on the floor to rot. That was the end... Commander Xu of Balamb Garden was... dead.  
  
Unconsciously, I dropped the Gunblade to the floor and captured Rinoa into my arms. I inhaled the sweet aroma of her hair and cuddled my angel closer to me, " Rinoa... how did we manage to do that?"  
  
Rinoa squeezed closer to me; I could feel her body burn as she blushed, but I ignored it, far too happy to let anything ruin this moment, " I'm not sure... but maybe love really conquers all."   
  
*******************************   
A/N: Aww... now wasn't that cute! It's not the end, though, don't worry! Sorry for the long wait.... My sister took over the computer for a few weeks and I practically had to beg to get on. I have no pride left.... ;_; But it was all for your nice, nice, nice people! (Insert seven other 'nice' for more reviews! lol) I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Please review! Ja ne! ~Bianka-chan. 4/08/03. 


	8. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation to Final Fantasy VIII.  
  
Well, I didn't get as many reviews as I did last time, but I'm still happy! Thank you to all of my avid reviewers!  
  
Arch Angel- You reviewed all of my chapters! Thanks so much for all of your responses!  
  
Frigg's Key- Hey... I like your name hehe. Thanks a lot for your review!  
  
I've got to be happy for everything now. Because, ladies and gentlemen, this is the very last chapter of my story. I appreciate all of my reviewers throughout my entire fanfiction; you guys are the most that any author could ask for, and I'm so happy to have had you guys. And so, here it is, the final chapter!  
  
Chapter 8: Epilogue  
  
~*Beyond the Furthest Star in the Sky*~  
  
RINOA  
  
Shortly after we defeated Xu, the entire group came to Zell's door. Sure, it wasn't like most reunions, but we were all happy to see each other- even with Xu's cadaver corroding away right in the middle.   
  
We found Seifer in the Garden later that day. He wasn't dead, but he would have been if we hadn't gotten there. Seifer healed quickly; however, he refused to walk without someone's help, Quistis' help specifically. The group called him pathetic and other names, but he secretly told me that it was just for Quistis' attention. As untrustworthy as he is, that was one thing that I knew he wasn't lying about.  
  
My friend from the other world, Lelani, was able to live her life here on Gaia. Sadly, I had forgotten that she had never seen a male before. And so ensued her plot to date every member of the male population....   
  
The party that Zell had planned had been a success. Not only was our team here, but all of Garden. However, Squall was my only company that night, and, honestly, I wouldn't have had it any other way.  
  
Selphie was sitting on Irvine's lap, squeezing him so tight that I thought his head might pop off, and Seifer was practically sitting on Quistis' lap, both telling Lelani that neither of them could date her.  
  
Squall and I were standing on the balcony with Angelo and her puppies about our feet, barking and nibbling in their cute little ways. I soon found myself lost on his stormy blue eyes, seeing such love in them that I had never received, and such a great man that was willing to give it all to me.  
  
____________________________  
SQUALL   
  
There she was, right in front of me, her beauty creating a splendid aura about her. To be honest, I was still absorbing the fact that Rinoa was back, and she was back for good. Then I realized something: all the time that she had been here with me, I had taken her for granted. I wasn't about to do it again, not for anything. So, with newly gained confidence, I grabbed her hands and put them on my neck and put my arms around her waist.   
  
I nodded, " You wanna dance?"   
  
Rinoa smiled that gorgeous smile of hers and nodded in return, waiting for me to make the first step. When I did, we danced to that same waltz that we had danced to three years before. I felt happy seeing her spin around and return to me, still wearing her dazzling smile. As the song ended, we stopped and turned to stare at the star-filled sky.   
  
My angel pointed her index finger to the sky as a star fell, grinning broader than before. Now it was my turn to smile back, stretching my face in a way that it wasn't used to at all. She looked surprised but took it well, obviously content with my display of emotion.   
  
I took this as my chance to pull her even closer to me. It was then that I gave her a passionate kiss, taking her into a world that not even I had discovered, one of love and passion and nothing more.   
  
There we shared our love that spread even Beyond the Furthest Star in the Sky.   
  
~**********************************~   
  
A/N: There it is, folks! The end of my very first fanfiction! I'm sorry it was so short, but my prologues and epilogues are usually always short and sweet ^_^. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it. Please, please, please, PLEASE review! ~Bianka-chan. 4/12/03 


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